Dear
Family and Friends,
The
week in Pehuajò was fantastic. We had a lot of work to do and worked super hard
on a daily basis half running all over the place to fit in all of our lessons.
We had been teaching the husband of a member that attends church regularly
since we arrived to Pehuajò. His name is Vicente. He has wanted to get baptized
but had problems smoking. The other problem was that he works in another
province for two weeks at a time and we rarely saw him.
But
the last time we saw him, we talked seriously about his baptism and set a date
for it for the 18th. At the same time, his grandson, Jonathan, was going to be
baptized. We fasted and prayed like never before and had his wife do so as
well. We passed by daily and taught Jonathan and kept them excited for the
baptism. Monday was the set day that Vicente was to quit smoking.
Well,
all went well and we had a miracle! Vicente and Jonathan were able to get
baptized this Saturday and were confirmed members of the Church yesterday during
church by the laying on of hands. Vicente got really attached to us and when he
found out I was leaving got super sad and asked me if I would baptize him
(that's what we had planned anyway because he is a big guy) and so I, for the
first time, got to perform the ordinance of baptism! It was an awesome
experience!
But
for about two weeks, Elder Arias and I knew that President Detlefsen was going
to turn the District of Pehuajò into the Zone of Pehuajò. He announced in the
meeting that Elder Arias went to, that he was going to receive many more
missionaries and was going to spread them out and create two zones out of two
districts, one of those being Pehuajò. So knowing that, for two weeks I knew
that I was either to leave Pehuajò or be a Zone Leader. Both of those possible
outcomes scared me.
Well.
I'm a Zone Leader now.
But
I am not in Pehuajò! We received transfers on Friday and I was sent to Viedma.
So
yesterday at 12:50, I left Pehuajò. It was really hard. I felt like I was
leaving behind a part of myself there. I'm not sure I had felt in my life what
I felt upon leaving that little town of Pehuajò. I grew so much in my time with
Elder Arias, working harder than I ever have and seeing so many miracles and
blessings from the Lord. I grew spiritually and learned valuable lessons in
diligence, patience, obedience, love, and having the correct attitude. We could
have easily arrived and gotten depressed about the situation. But we worked and
worked and worked, trusting in the Lord.
I
left behind several investigators that will be baptized this week and next week
but here I am in Viedma after my 12 hour bus ride!! My companion is Elder
Calarco, from Corrientes, Argentina. He has the same amount of time in the
mission as me but has already been Zone Leader for two transfers so he will be
training me. Elder Arias who had been a Zone Leader when we left Bahìa Blanca
together to go to Pehuajò, also taught me on a daily basis valuable lessons in
leadership but I feel rather unprepared.
Please
pray for me and for the new zone of Viedma!
I
love you all and thanks for the letters!
Chau,
Elder
Garrison
Pehuajó Branch
with Elder Calarco in Viedma
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